The Puerto Rico Comic Con is the premier entertainment event in the Caribbean. A two day show with exhibitors and retailers of what we geeks love: Comics, Toys, Anime, Manga, Video games, Strategic and Card games, Movies, etc.

I have known many of you for years, and some not nearly as long. I wanted to send out a heart-felt THANK YOU for everyone’s support of the VA Comicon, and my efforts as Director of PR for the show.

As you already know, the show THIS weekend will be the 25th anniversary event, founded by Guy Rose way back in 1986 as the “Chesterfield County Comic Collector’s Club.” I am proud to list Guy as one of my best friends, and look forward to celebrating his birthday THIS Sunday, Oct 30 at the VA Comicon.

As you also may know, I, Brett Carreras, took over promotion of the VA Comicon in 2004 to help Guy build excitement in the community. Today I am please to say the VA Comicon is THE premiere event for pop-culture in the state of Virginia, and I have helped in the past and in the future to bring Top Cow, Avatar Press, Fangoria, Zenescope, Moonstone, Adhouse and more AMAZING publishers to Richmond, Virginia.

I am now sitting here in Mountain View California (near San Francisco), with my friend and colleague Daniel Fogel (Hippy Comix) as we prepare for the VA comicon this WEEKEND, and I am reflecting back on my short but exciting career in comic books.

2011 has been a banner year for me. I had my first article published as an Overstreet advisor, I was told I will be listed as an adviser in an upcoming edition of the Fogel’s Underground Price Guide, I setup in San Diego with my good friend Ben Penrod, I helped to run the biggest comic book event EVER in the District of Columbia, and am about to personally finance the most exciting VA Comicon we have EVER had!

I have accomplished EVERYTHING I have ever set out to do in comic books. I have EVERY comic book on my “want list”. I am lucky enough to have traveled the country promoting this hobby. For me, this show in 4 days is a Pinnacle of EVERYTHING I have accomplished in this industry. While Brett’s Comic Pile will continue to operate, delivering thousands of comics for less than $1 each around the world, I feel I have professional hit a ceiling.

I invite YOU to join me at the VA Comicon for my retirement party (Why not go out on a high note, eh?), and Guy’s birthday party. In fact, if you pick up Advanced tickets NOW, at our website, I will even “eat the fees”. Type in the discount code “farewell” to save $1.24 off of each ticket. My gift to you during these last 48 hours the Advance Tickets are on sale.

Don’t worry…the VA Comicon will continue to operate, with FIVE shows planned in 2012…I look forward to telling you more about 2012 at our show this weekend. Thank you for ALL of your support, and please be sure to come by and say hi. I will see you at the show!

Los Angeles, CA (October 24, 2011) Hero Initiative, the non-profit organization that helps comic creators in financial and medical need, is proud to announce its attendance at Long Beach Comic and Horror Con, October 29th and 30th at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California. Hero will be hosting Eisner Award-winning writer/artist Darwyn Cooke, best known for his work on comics such as Catwoman, DC: The New Frontier, The Spirit and Richard Stark’s Parker.

And IDW Publishing’s Parker: The Martini Edition will be making its world premiere at the convention as well! This will be your first chance EVER to pick up a copy, and get it signed by the master himself! In addition, Hero Initiative will have Darwyn Cooke con-exclusive merchandise so make sure you make it to our booth, #213, and be a Hero by supporting our great cause!

And that’s not all! Legendary moviemaker John Carpenter, known for Halloween, Escape from New York,and They Live, will be doing his ONLY signing of the convention for Hero Initiative as well! John has generously agreed to autograph 250 items only. Signature vouchers will be available at the Hero Initiative booth Saturday morning, limit ONE per person, at $5 each. John will then sign at booth #913 at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. Don’t miss out!

And if you like free stuff, well…you can get a FREE Ultimate Spider-Man #100 Project softcover or Transmetropolitan: All Around the World hardcover if you sign up your Ralphs Rewards card for Hero at our booth, OR drop off your old printer cartridges, cell phones or small electronics for us to redeem with Funding Factory. Please note you MUST bring your Ralphs Rewards card with you—we cannot sign you up with your phone number alone!

To find out more about Hero Initiative, check out our YouTube videos, including our most recent video featuring creators we’ve helped with support from people like you!

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strict to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterday’s creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It’s a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment. Since its inception, The Hero Initiative has had the good fortune to grant over $500,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today. For more information, visitwww.heroinitiative.org or call 626-676-6354.

The hourly door prizes for the 20th anniversary Clifton NJ Comic Book Expo on Sunday, November 13th have been announced!

At 11:00, 12:00, 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 the following comics will be randomly given away: Daredevil #2, Superman #199, Sandman #1, Daredevil #168 and a first printing of Origins of Marvel Comics (with dustjacket). These books have graciously been provided below cost for the event by one of the show’s favorite dealers, Mike Williams.

Admission to the show is totally free and no purchase whatsoever is required to win. The rules are simple: every attendee that wishes to participate agrees to provide contact information (not to be shared with the public), and also agrees to allow their photo to be used on the NJ Comic Book Shows website and in promotional material if they win. Chances are limited to one per person and the winner must be present when the number is drawn. (Dealers, their employees, employees of Pug Productions or NJ Comic Book Shows or anyone who been one within the past six months are not eligible.)

This is Brett from the VA Comicon…Man-o-man am I excited about the show coming up this wekend in Richmond, VA on Oct 29-30!

So many exciting things to announce…from a Female Super-hero figure modeling course on Saturday, to MORE exclusive comics you can ONLY get at the show (like the TMNT Variant with the LEE Momument on the Christmas themed cover, to the Sexiest Witchblade cover EVER)!

It all happens THIS weekend in Richmond, VA! Don’t miss the Charity Art auction on Saturday to Benefit the Hero Initiative, and the $500 Cash Costume contest on Sunday…$250 for best group, and $250 best overall. Scope the links below!

Stories Comics in Richmond has been kind enough to donate two $50 Gift Cards for the youth prices (12 and under)…one for best group, and one for best overall!

We have an awesome lineup of lectures this year, including a frank conversation about Hollywood with James O Barr (the creator of the Crow), and a round-table GI Joe talk with Larry Hama, Herb Trimpe and SL Gallant! Check out all of the links! The show will be GREAT! Go to our website for the schedule!

Finally, a reminder Children 12 and under are FREE, and everyone else is $10 for the entire weekend! SKIP THE LINES! Pick up your advance ticket today at the website, and get in 1 hour earlier on Saturday to boot!

Children of advance ticket holders get in early for FREE!

Check out the headlines below for more fun at our upcoming show! THIS WEEKEND. All info and tickets are at our website. WHEW!

Please remember, this show is being self-financed by me, Brett Carreras, and is being operated completely as not-for-profit. We do have a VERY limited number of tables still available both days…if your company would like to be a part of Virginia’s BEST comic book show EVER in 25 years, we would love to hear from you!

I look forward to seeing everyone at the show!

Sincerely,

Brett Carreras
VA Comicon

A reminder, we are at the CROWNE PLAZA WEST in Richmond, VA, which is NOT the same location as last-year’s show…We have sold the room to capacity the last two years…the best way to not have to WAIT in in line is to pick up an advance ticket for only $10, the same price as at the front door. Thanks!

Kids 12 and under areFREE!

We LOVE having families come to the VA Comicon! In fact, we want WHOLE GROUP participation…That’s why we have a GROUP cash prize on Sunday for our costume contest!

Remember…Kids 12 and under are FREE the whole weekend with paid parent admission! Getting an ADVANCE Ticket? Your child can get in 1 hour early with you FREE of charge as well! Online sales will stop on Thursday, so you only have DAYS to take advantage! Get one NOW!

Shane Black, Director of the highly anticipated Iron Man 3 film, will be making an appearance at the Long Beach Comic & Horror Con on Saturday, 10/29 at 4:00 PM. Black, whose films include Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Lethal Weapon and The Long Kiss Goodnight, will be hosting a panel to discuss his filmmaking career. He will share stories from the Lethal Weapon franchise, The Last Boy Scout, the writing and directing process and of course what is being planned for Iron Man 3 and the pressure of taking over the reigns of the incredibly successful franchise.”We were thrilled when we learned that Shane Black would be coming to the show,” said Phil Lawrence, co-owner of the Long Beach Comic & Horror Con. “He is going to blow everyone away with his engaging style and no doubt we’ll learn some very interesting things about the making of his films. We can’t wait for this one.”

The panel will a must see for aspiring film makers and movie buffs alike in addition to fans of Iron Man who are hunting for clues to what awaits them in the upcoming Iron Man 3.

About Long Beach Comic Con
Long Beach Comic Con is an annual event held at the Long Beach Convention Center each fall. It’s a celebration of comic books and pop culture that showcases the exceptional works of talented writers, artists, illustrators and creators of all types of pop culture. At Long Beach Comic Con you’ll find exhibitors promoting and selling all types of related products, as well as entertaining and educational programs, guest signings, and meet & greet sessions with celebrities. Long Beach Comic Con is a production of MAD Event Management, LLC. Visit www.longbeachcomiccon.com for additional information.

Millions and millions of comic books have changed hands at this, the longest running monthly comic book convention in America!

As always. there will also be hundreds of thousands of comic books available for purchase from dozens of the finest, friendliest and most reputable vendors in the Northeast, ranging from 50 cent readers to investment grade key issues worth tens of thousands of dollars, along with a no-minimum-bid auction at noon and door prizes throughout the day.

Our dealers all respect and appreciate our customers!

We will have incredible comics as door prizes and very special guests, so check back to conventionscene often for updates!

Venue Name and Address

Clifton Community Recreation Center
1232 Main Ave
Clifton, NJ 07011
United StatesMap It

Cosplayers, Podcasters, Charity Organizations And More Enhance Wizard World Experience

NEW YORK and COLUMBUS, Ohio, October 19, 2011 – A variety of fan clubs, podcasters and other groups are making final preparations for this weekend’s Wizard World Mid-Ohio Comic Con, Saturday and Sunday at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. From cosplayers like the Great Lakes Base of the Rebel Legion and Ohio 501st Legion and Mandalorian Mercs to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and Comic Book Connection Initiative, groups will be on site, meeting attendees and enriching the Wizard World experience.

Some groups that fans will run into on site include:

— Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, which exists to fight censorship and defend the first amendment rights of comic book professionals and readers throughout the United States.
— Great Lakes Base of the Rebel Legion, the local chapter of The Rebel Legion Star Wars costuming group.
Mandalorian Mercs Costuming Group, the world’s premier custom Mandalorian costume organization.
— Ohio 501st Legion, the state’s chapter of the national organization which seeks to promote interest in Star Wars through the building and wearing of quality costumes, and to facilitate the use of these costumes for Star Wars-related events as well as contributions to the local community through costumed charity and volunteer work.
— Ohio Star Wars Collectors Club, a resource through which those who live in Ohio can discuss new items arriving, toy & collectible show dates and generally anything Star Wars related.
— Open Forum Radio, a community fueled by collective interests which seeks open dialogue and to encourage debate
Outlook Media, whose content contains both local and national focused features that compliment its mix of columns, editorials, arts & entertainment, sports, celebrity interviews, and community news.
— Pendant Production Company, one of the most prolific and popular podcasting companies today, with more than 800 episodes of audio drama.
— The Comic Book Connection Initiative, a small non-profit organization that takes in donated comic books from dealers, publishers, and individual collectors then distributes them to children in homeless shelters, food pantries, after-school programs , YWCA women’s shelter and hospitals.
— The Hero Initiative, the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays’ creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work.
— USS Asgard, a chapter of Starfleet International, which participates in community events such as Toys for Tots, Operation Feed, etc.
— USS Columbus, which does an annual school supply drive for a local school, helps in the Firefighters Toy Drive, and collects food for Mid Ohio Food Bank along with other local clubs.
— USS Lagrange, which has raised hundreds of dollars for the Akron Children’s Hospital and for various food banks in the state.
— WGTR “World Grand Theft Radio,” the nationwide internet radio station No. 1 worldwide Halloween radio station in Sept & Oct. With over 30 original shows a week live, “our mission to make your on air dreams come true!”

Mid-Ohio Comic Con is the eighth stop on Wizard World’s 2011 North American tour. Hours are Saturday, October 22, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; and Sunday, October 23, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tickets are available in advance online at http://www.wizardworld.com/midohio.html at a savings over tickets purchased at the door. Advance adult single-day tickets are priced at $25 ($35 on site); weekend all-session tickets are $40 ($50 on site), and tickets are free for children age 10 and under when accompanied by a paid adult (limit two children per adult). VIP packages with special entry and exclusive items are also available on a limited basis.

About Wizard World:
Wizard World produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate graphic novels, comic books, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology, toys and social networking. The events often feature celebrities from movies and TV, artists and writers, and events such as premieres, gaming tournaments, panels, and costume contests. Wizard World also produces Wizard World Digital, an online publication covering new and upcoming products and talents in the pop culture world, and is distributed on a weekly basis to online and iPad users worldwide.

Huge Glass Comic Book Makes Public Run Debut At Wizard World Mid-Ohio Comic Con, October 22-23 At Greater Columbus Convention Center

NEW YORK and COLUMBUS, Ohio, October 11, 2011 – Attendees at next weekend’s Wizard World Mid-Ohio Comic Con will have the unique opportunity to check out the “Huge Glass Comic Book,” the world’s first glass comic book, blown up and lit up on glass. Each of its twelve pages is four feet high and three feet wide, all laser etched on quarter inch glass. The Huge Glass Comic Book is registered for three world record claims with Guinness World Records, including first glass comic book, largest glass comic book and largest comic book. At over 500 pounds of comic pages, it may also be the world’s heaviest comic book.

The comic is a single concise story introducing Comangra City, a place where all the world’s comic and cartoon genres live and interact with each other in a multi-cultural metropolis. Nearly every country has its own tradition of graphic story. It’s time these traditions meet, mix and react with each other. Beyond the story, each page of the Huge Glass Comic Book highlights different graphic storytelling techniques in simple, reproducible ways. It took over 550 hours to create this comic and, four weeks into its completion, it’s already attracting interest from galleries, educational institutions and even “Ripley’s Believe It or Not! It’s a one of a kind opportunity to see a first in comics and in art.

Wade Gugino, writer and creator of the Huge Glass Comic Book, will be present to page through the comic with fans and sell print versions of the comic and graphic story layout guide, as well as individual cards, prints and T-Shirts. This will be the very first public run of the print comic — a limited edition sold out at ArtPrize 2011 in two weeks.

Mid-Ohio Comic Con is the eighth stop on Wizard World’s 2011 North American tour. Hours are Saturday, October 22, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; and Sunday, October 23, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tickets are available in advance online at http://www.wizardworld.com/midohio.html at a savings over tickets purchased at the door. Advance adult single-day tickets are priced at $25 ($35 on site); weekend all-session tickets are $40 ($50 on site), and tickets are free for children age 10 and under when accompanied by a paid adult (limit two children per adult). VIP packages with special entry and exclusive items are also available on a limited basis.

About Wizard World:
Wizard World produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate graphic novels, comic books, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology, toys and social networking. The events often feature celebrities from movies and TV, artists and writers, and events such as premieres, gaming tournaments, panels, and costume contests. Wizard World also produces Wizard World Digital, an online publication covering new and upcoming products and talents in the pop culture world, and is distributed on a weekly basis to online and iPad users worldwide.